On the edge of Roxborough, along the ridge above where Main Street leads into Manayunk, sits a cozy Northwest Philadelphia neighborhood called Wissahickon. Cradled by the southern tendril of Wissahickon Valley Park, it’s a leafy community defined by an eclectic mix of 19th- and early 20th-century homes. Although some may think it is part of Roxborough, neighborhood leaders say it has an identity all its own. “There was, I think, a time where people lost track of this being its own neighborhood,” said Joshua Castaño, a historic preservationist who moved to Wissahickon in 2020. Between 2010 and 2020, Census data show over 700 additional residents in the neighborhood. New development has occurred, too, mainly comprising large single-family homes. A proposal for an apartment building at 90 Rochelle Ave. also provoked intense backlash among some neighbors. Now Castaño and the community group Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association are leading an effort to create a historic district for the neighborhood to ensure it will maintain its character as it grows. Read more here.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 12/12/2023